Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Place Mats - Finished

I decided I was going to make place mats with the left over wonky log cabin fabric back in ... oh, JUNE! And, finally, in the last couple of weeks I finished them.

I used this quilted place mats tutorial on Pink Penguin. I modified it a little. First, the size. I made ours the size of the green place mats we use now ... so slightly bigger than the tutorial. I also decided to make them double sided, instead of a solid back. Also, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to play around with free motion quilting and the walking foot on the new sewing machine. So all the quilting is different; some I like more than others.

a fun little swirl turned flower-ish. this is one of the ones that I just started quilting without any real plan.

a couple of the straight line ones. I should have slowed down. So, ya know, the lines would've been straighter!

the only stippled one I did. Man, I got hand cramps and had to take a break, TWICE. But I really like the look. Maybe one day I'll bite the bullet and actually stipple a quilt!

all 10. 8 regular sized ones and two smaller ones (for the kids) that were just left over blocks from the wonky quilts (those two have solid black backs)

I think what I most learned on these place mats is how much quilting changes the look of the quilt. in the ditch, beside the ditch, straight lines, free motion ... they all REALLY change the overall look of the work.

We'll still use the green place mats until they are ready to be retired, but it's pretty nice to have place mats that match the black napkins and blue dishes a little better. Plus, I only used fabric, thread and batting I already had.

At J-Day this year, I had the amazing pleasure of meeting and listening to a reading by Mary Ward Brown . I had previous read her second bo...

Cast of Characters:

Me, Christy Ross. I like to blog. Some days I'm just trying to survive being the mom of a 6 year old and a 4 year old that never run out of energy. Other days I have loftier thoughts, like doing my part to mold them into people who are nicer, kinder and more generous than I am. Most days I'd just like a cup of coffee and 12 minutes of uninterrupted silence.

Husband. My best friend and lover of my soul. We share the same sense of humor and love of adventure. He wears a face jacket when the weather is cold and really, even when it's not cold. He brought me tulips on our first date and I ordered two desserts and no entree. It was instant love.

Daughter. She is fiercely independent and the most fun child I know. She says the most amazing things and I love knowing her. Daughter is so thoughtful and perceptive. I love catching a glimpse of the world through her eyes. She protects her brother like it's her job! Daughter loves showers, broccoli, running, dancing, hopping, zebras, and playing in the rain.

Son. He is a pint sized ball of nonstop energy. Son has a heart melting smile and a love for all sports. He loves going to the park, playing outside, nutella, the color green, helicopters, trucks, motorcycles, airplanes, running, dancing, collecting rocks, and cats.

About Me

About Me

I graduated from Judson College in Marion, Alabama. I'm left handed and I tell fantastical stories. I have a husband, a daughter, a son, two dogs and two cats. I spend my days trying to raise my children to be better people than I am.